In response to an increasing desire for mobility and unrestricted movement in the realm of computing, various wireless technologies have evolved including transmission protocols such as BLUETOOTH, the various IEEE 802.11 standards, various proprietary protocols, and HomeRF. Such protocols have enabled peripherals to achieve wireless capabilities that alleviate many of the obstacles presented by corded devices. Wireless input devices are often used to control navigation and interaction with a user interface.
The use of wireless input devices has grown tremendously in many facets of computing. Due to wireless device dependency on batteries as a source of power, systems must be developed to provide convenient methods of recharging such wireless devices.
Rechargeable systems often include a recharging dock into which the input device is placed for charging. The dock includes an electrical connection for recharging the battery of the input device. Many input device docks only allow insertion of the input device into the dock from one direction or position. For example, charging docks exist in which a mouse is inserted vertically into the dock. These systems require additional effort on the part of the user to transfer the mouse from an in-use horizontal position to a vertical charging position before placing it in the dock. In addition, charging docks exist in which a mouse must be inserted horizontally in such a way that the housing of the mouse fits into the dock in one specific mating orientation. The mouse must be inserted into the dock in exactly the proper position and orientation in order for the charging to take place. The mouse can not be adjusted or aligned once it has been placed in contact with the dock. Such systems are often awkward, difficult to align and require an exact fit or orientation for charging to occur.